FaunaFocus’ first month featuring a marsupial is coming to an end, and with it, the Free-For-All has concluded. Five artists used a variety of media from watercolor and ink to colored pencil and gouache, to create an excellent array of Virginia opossum pieces. With realistic representations of the opossum and anthropomorphic displays of the animal, viewers were treated with a variety of different styles.

Congratulations to September 2018’s FaunaFocus Free-For-All Winner, Mahle Lynn, who created a whimsical, nearly achromatic piece drawing inspiration from the Virginia opossum’s black, white, and pink color scheme. This piece shows a young woman with opossum characteristics, front and center, surrounded by a background of opossums in all different poses. With another opossum perched on her shoulder, her affinity for the marsupial is clearly demonstrated.

Mahle Lynn will choose the FaunaFocus for November 2018, which will be announced at the end of October’s Free-For-All critique livestream. Last month’s winner, Kylart has allowed for October’s FaunaFocus to be randomized, so we will be collaborating with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), once again, to bring awareness to the critically endangered hawksbill turtle!